If you are facing issues installing .NET Framework 3.5 (many applications actually need this to run) in your Windows 10 and all the other options failed, my dear friend, you came to perfect page where I will show you how to install the same.

In this blog post, we will learn the command by which you can install .NET Framework 3.5 in Windows 10. This also works in other versions of Windows.

If you are facing issues with installation of .NET Framework 3.5, you might have noticed that, it is asking you to install .NET Framework 3.5 to install .NET Framework 3.5. Quite strange!!! Isn’t it? Just like a deadlock. Install “A” to install “A”. Yes my friend, you are right and here comes the solution.

To install the Framework properly, you will need the original Windows installation media. If you don’t have the same handy, download Windows 10 ISO image (for offline installation) using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool from Microsoft. Once you download the ISO image, double click it to mount it in your system. This will create a virtual DVD drive in your system and mount the ISO there, which will look like a fresh DVD in your system having Windows 10 setup media. Also, you can extract the content of the ISO using tools like WinRAR to proceed with next.

To begin with, open the Command Prompt with administrative privileges. To do so in Windows 10, right click on the start button (or press “Win + X”) to popup the system menu. There you will find a menu item titled “Command Prompt (Admin)”. Click on this to launch the command prompt in admin mode. Here is a screenshot of the same for your reference:

Once the Command Prompt opens in the screen, place the following command and hit enter. Please make sure to change the source path, as mentioned later.

If you have Windows setup at “D:\Installers” folder path, replace “x:” with “d:\installers”

And also, make sure that “sources\sxs” folder exists in your Windows 10 installation media. When run from the command prompt, it will start installing the .NET framework. Please keep patience as it might take some time to install the .NET Framework. Once done, restart your system for the changes to take effect.

Details on command line parameters, for your reference and knowledge:

/Online targets the operating system you're running (instead of an offline Windows image).

/Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 specifies that you want to enable the .NET Framework 3.5.

/All enables all parent features of the .NET Framework 3.5.

/LimitAccess prevents DISM from contacting Windows Update.

/Source specifies the location of the files needed to restore the feature (in this example, the x:\sources\sxs directory).

Details about my struggle with installation of .NET Framework 3.5 and various alternative options that I tried, is already mentioned in this blog post. If you have some spare time, don’t forget to ready that experience.

Hope this will help you to resolve the issue in a very quick manner. Though the post describes installation in Windows 10, but is also applicable for Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.

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it didn't work for me, but I found a working solution now: Use Windows activate and deactivate Features.1. uninstall net 42. install net 3.5 ( data loaded from Microsoft ) and now it was working..3. install net 4 again

The source files could not be found.Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.

This looks like you don't have the source folder. Make sure that the "I:\sources\sxs" folder exists. This folder is available in your Windows installation media. Either mount your Windows 10 ISO or insert the DVD. Make sure that you provide the proper drive letter.

Looks like your Windows 10 Component Store has been corrupted. Please do the followings to repair the same:

1. Open the Command Prompt with administrative privileges2. Enter the following command: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup3. Now enter the following command: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Tried several different other things but have had no luck, I have seen alot of other people having the same problem. Microsoft does not seem to know why either. I think it is just one of many bugs in Windows 10.

Hi kunal :)Thanks for the post .I have to install .NET Framework 3.5 on my laptop.I have downloaded the ISO image. Now should I double click the image to make a virtual DVD drive in my system .(as this article suuggest ) and proceed firther with command promp window.Or should I proceed further to create a Windows 10 bootable USB drive as per the instructions in given in your two earlier posts( http://www.kunal-chowdhury.com/2015/07/download-windows-10.html ,http://www.kunal-chowdhury.com/2015/07/create-windows-10-bootable-drive.html ).

I have windows 10 already installed on my laptop but I have problems installing .NET Framework 3.5 as I have to run applications which need .NET Framework 3.5 .

Could you please check in the MSDN/Technet forum? After this point, I am clue less at this moment. Will get back to you, if I find anything. But by that time, do post in the Microsoft forums. Some experts might help you on this. Let me know, if you find any thing that solves.

The source files could not be found.Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.

I tried every way but nothing happened, i deleted the updates, run the DISM command, enabled .NET Framework 3.5 in control panel->programs and features but nothing worked so finally i reinstalled windows 10 on my laptop and run DISM command. This time it worked for me.

Hi Kunal and everyone. Some people are getting install failing for this reason. They are using the Dual Architecture (x86 & x64) iso the path then needs to be either x:/x86/sources/sxs or x:/x64/sources/sxs, depending on the architecture of your windows 10 installation

The source files could not be found.Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.

The source files could not be found.Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.

The source files could not be found.Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.

The source files could not be found.Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\Windows\Logs\DISM\dism.logPlease Help someone I can not install .Net Framework 3.5 for windows 10

Hello! It worked really fine for me and 100 thank you(s) for that!!I have, though, a question. How does it work? I have my OS installed on C and as you presented, I mounted the ISO on J . Question is, since the modifications with DISM /online .... are done on J, which is the created one, how are they actually seen in the current one, C, in my case? So, how working on one affects the other and makes it work?

I have a PC with Windows 10 (64bit) that I don't want to connect to the internet. It runs a CNC machine and some of my programs are requiring 3.5. I'm on a laptop with Windows 10 (32bit) obviously connected to the net. I've downloaded the MediaCreationTool.exe and ran it here. It allowed me to download the USB boot one no problem (I didn't want to do the ISO, just yet). Anyway, I get the same errors as most have, source not found, yada yada. I thought maybe since my laptop was 32 and the other was 64 (where I'm having issues) I needed to download the mediacreationtool.exe for the 64 bit and get its files for that architecture. Well, that didn't work didn't work because that one won't run (actually is a 64 bit program) on my 32 bit laptop.

I even extracted the cab file onto the USB drive and got the same results.Still need a solution. And Yes, I did point to the correct drive.

About Me

Kunal Chowdhury is a Windows Platform Development MVP of Microsoft, a Telerik MVP, Nokia Developer Champion, Speaker in various Microsoft events, Author, passionate Blogger and a Software Engineer by profession.